Perhaps you’re broke. Maybe you’re stuck in town keeping an eye on your siblings. Or maybe, you’re simply a Good Samaritan who wants to reduce their carbon footprint by staying put.

Whatever, the reason may be, it really is a shame to not be able to enjoy the whole holiday experience. Thankfully, there’s a solution to this dilemma. Here are five ways you can live it up as a tourist in your hometown!

Make it Your Very First Time

Remember that Madonna song? Try to experience everything anew. Visit local attractions, and really pay attention to them, as if you were seeing them for the very first time. You might even learn something new!

If you live in Colombo, you must have passed by the Galle Face Green a thousand times. But have you ever really experienced it? Have you flown a kite there, or visited Nana’s after dark?

Also, you may know Sri Lanka’s history, but have you explored the halls of the Colombo National Museum? People tend to overlook things that are hidden in plain sight.

Sign Up for a Tour

Adding on to the previous point, go on a sightseeing tour. You may have walked it, bused it, and cabbed it around town, but have you ever cycled it? Colombo offers night cycling tours, which are perfect if you’re busy by day.

If it Walks like a Tourist…

What better way to feel like a tourist than to play the part? Put on that sundress you’ve stashed away and whip out the ultra-cool shades. It’s time to hit the town like you haven’t a care in the world.

Of course, if you’re hometown is Kandy or Nuwara Eliya in the hill country, please replace the sundress with something a tad warmer. You don’t want to catch a cold.

And just like tourists do, stop and smell the roses. While this is a literal possibility in the towns mentioned above, there’s a bigger meaning behind the phrase. Pause awhile, and appreciate the local surrounds. Make the effort to chat with the locals. Ask them about their day, and what they think about the town. Try to really get to know your destination, as familiar as it may be.

Check-in to a Local Guesthouse

There’s no better way to feel like you’re on vacation, than by taking up residence under a foreign roof. It’s a great way to get a little ‘me time’.

If you have obligations to tend to at home, choose a spot that’s close by. For example, if you live in the Kollupitiya area, check out hotels in Colombo 3. And if you’re broke, try a budget hotel. While it may not come with all the bells and whistles, a change of scenery can be liberating. Especially, if you’re an introvert living in a house full of extroverts.

Take the Path Not Travelled

Choose a different route on your way home. Then take the time to stop and interact with people at corner shops and in public spaces you pass by. There are likely dozens of roads and pathways you’ve left untraveled in your hometown.

As humans, we tend to get entrenched in daily routines. Breaking free of these cycles, even in small ways, can be reinvigorating. Who knows, you might discover a faster or more scenic route. And you may even make a new friend.

A real break isn’t just about travelling to new destinations. It’s about forging new experiences.